The IEEE Archives is a relatively small (approximately 15 cubic meters) collection of documents and other archival material that documents the history of IEEE and its predecessor organizations AIEE and IRE. <br>

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The IEEE Archives is a relatively small (approximately 15 cubic meters) collection of documents and other archival material that documents the history of IEEE and its predecessor organizations AIEE and IRE.

The [[IEEE History Center|IEEE History Center]] was established in 1980 as the IEEE Center for the History of Electrical Engineering as part of the preparation for the IEEE’s 1984 Centennial. One of its first tasks was to identify and gather institutional records of the IEEE and its predecessors [[AIEE History 1884-1963|AIEE]] and [[IRE History 1912-1963|IRE]]. These documents, photos and artifacts, plus material generated during the centennial itself form the core of the IEEE Archives collection. And since that time, the focus of the IEEE Archives has continued to be collecting IEEE’s institutional records, especially the records of the overall IEEE. There is a secondary focus on items useful for other History Center activities and projects. This has led the History Center to build a collection of photographs and a small collection of artifacts. Center Staff use this material especially in our teaching and exhibits.

The [[IEEE History Center|IEEE History Center]] was established in 1980 as the IEEE Center for the History of Electrical Engineering as part of the preparation for the IEEE’s 1984 Centennial. One of its first tasks was to identify and gather institutional records of the IEEE and its predecessors [[AIEE History 1884-1963|AIEE]] and [[IRE History 1912-1963|IRE]]. These documents, photos and artifacts, plus material generated during the centennial itself form the core of the IEEE Archives collection. And since that time, the focus of the IEEE Archives has continued to be collecting IEEE’s institutional records, especially the records of the overall IEEE. There is a secondary focus on items useful for other History Center activities and projects. This has led the History Center to build a collection of photographs and a small collection of artifacts. Center Staff use this material especially in our teaching and exhibits.

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Because of space and resource limitations, the IEEE Archives seeks only records of the overall IEEE; not records of the many IEEE organizational units. Center Staff instead help organizational units find ways to preserve their own historical records, by among other things, encouraging their posting such material on the GHN. Similarly, the IEEE Archives cannot accept the professional records of IEEE Members, though we try to help members find suitable repositories elsewhere.

Because of space and resource limitations, the IEEE Archives seeks only records of the overall IEEE; not records of the many IEEE organizational units. Center Staff instead help organizational units find ways to preserve their own historical records, by among other things, encouraging their posting such material on the GHN. Similarly, the IEEE Archives cannot accept the professional records of IEEE Members, though we try to help members find suitable repositories elsewhere.

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We do welcome occasional donations of artifacts than we can use in our programs but please ask before sending anything). Among the artifacts that we have accepted from members are a 1940s Weston multi-meter, a small collection of vintage vacuum tubes, and a 1959 solar radio. <br>

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We do welcome occasional donations of artifacts than we can use in our programs but please ask before sending anything. Among the artifacts that we have accepted from members are a 1940s Weston multi-meter, a small collection of vintage vacuum tubes, and a 1959 solar radio. <br>

The Archives is located at the IEEE Operations Center in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The Archives is located at the IEEE Operations Center in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The following is a list of documents or groups of documents from the IEEE Archives that have been scanned and made available on the GHN. Of particular note are a series of files of the AIEE records of prominent early members, and a collection of material documenting the process by which AIEE and IRE merged in 1963 to form IEEE.

The following is a list of documents or groups of documents from the IEEE Archives that have been scanned and made available on the GHN. Of particular note are a series of files of the AIEE records of prominent early members, and a collection of material documenting the process by which AIEE and IRE merged in 1963 to form IEEE.

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'''The Archives is made possible by donations. If you find these archival resources valuable, please consider supporting the IEEE History Center’s work by making a donation to

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[https://www.ieee.org/organizations/foundation/DonateOnline.html#| IEEE Foundation - History Center Fund]'''. There is a box marked “Designations” with an arrow which allows you to assign your gift to the History Center.

[[Archives:AIEE Student EE Digest|AIEE Student EE Digest]] - The AIEE Student EE Digest was a publication that covered various stories in the electrical engineering world. This particular volume was the first ever edition and was published in 1959.

[[Archives:AIEE Student EE Digest|AIEE Student EE Digest]] - The AIEE Student EE Digest was a publication that covered various stories in the electrical engineering world. This particular volume was the first ever edition and was published in 1959.

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[[Archives:Standards Activities of the Institute (AIEE), 1939|Standards Activities of the Institute (AIEE), 1939]] - A letter written by R.E. Hellmund to F.M. Farmer addressing standards activities of the AIEE.

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[[Archives:The Inventions of Thomas Davenport|The Inventions of Thomas Davenport]] - A talk given by [[Franklin Pope]], published in the Transactions of the AIEE, volume VIII, 1891.

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[[Archives:Standards Activities of the Institute (AIEE), 1939|Standards Activities of the Institute (AIEE), 1939]] - A letter written by R.E. Hellmund to F.M. Farmer addressing standards activities of the AIEE.

=== IRE Documents ===

=== IRE Documents ===

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[[Archives:Society of Wireless Telegraph Engineers Charter|Society of Wireless Telegraph Engineers Charter]] - 1908 charter document of the SWTE, one of the predecessor societies to the IRE.

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[[Archives:IRE Yearbooks and Membership Directories|IRE Yearbooks and Membership Directories 1914-1963]] A collection of IRE Yearbooks. These give general IRE information along with a complete directory of IRE Members, including addresses and employers.

[[Archives:1926 IRE Standards Publication|1926 IRE Standards Publication]] - A report on the Committee on Standardization for 1926 produced by the Institute of Radio Engineers.

[[Archives:1926 IRE Standards Publication|1926 IRE Standards Publication]] - A report on the Committee on Standardization for 1926 produced by the Institute of Radio Engineers.

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[[Archives:Misc. IRE Correspondence|Misc. IRE Correspondence]] - This collection contains two letters written to representatives of the United States military requesting permission to release information to the public.

[[Archives:Misc. IRE Correspondence|Misc. IRE Correspondence]] - This collection contains two letters written to representatives of the United States military requesting permission to release information to the public.

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[[Archives:RCA Laboratories Booklet|RCA Laboratories Booklet]] - This booklet discusses the history and future of radio, both in New Jersey and the world. It was issued to accompany the opening of the RCA facility in Princeton, New Jersey in 1941.

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[[Archives:RCA Laboratories Booklet|RCA Laboratories Booklet]] - This booklet discusses the history and future of radio, both in New Jersey and the world. It was issued to accompany the opening of the RCA facility in Princeton, New Jersey in 1941.

=== Merger Documents ===

=== Merger Documents ===

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[[Archives:Papers of Francis B. Crocker|Papers of Francis B. Crocker]] - Francis Bacon Crocker was an electrical engineer who contributed to the profession in a number of areas. He was most well-known for his work in the design of electric motors and in standardization of electrical equipment. He also aided in the development of the first helicopter in this country that was able to fly.

[[Archives:Papers of Francis B. Crocker|Papers of Francis B. Crocker]] - Francis Bacon Crocker was an electrical engineer who contributed to the profession in a number of areas. He was most well-known for his work in the design of electric motors and in standardization of electrical equipment. He also aided in the development of the first helicopter in this country that was able to fly.

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[[Archives:Minor Davis Scrapbook|Minor Davis Scrapbook]] - A scrapbook of Minor Davis, one of the first [[IEEE Fellow Grade History|Fellows of the AIEE]] and head electrical engineer of the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company.

[[Archives:Papers of Alex Dow|Papers of Alex Dow]] - Alex Dow designed and supervised the installation of an arc lighting system for Chicago’s South Park, as well as designing and supervising the construction of a city-owned power plant in Detroit in 1893. Dow was then became manager of the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Under his leadership, the company, now called Detroit Edison, expanded greatly to become one of the largest electric companies in the nation.

[[Archives:Papers of Alex Dow|Papers of Alex Dow]] - Alex Dow designed and supervised the installation of an arc lighting system for Chicago’s South Park, as well as designing and supervising the construction of a city-owned power plant in Detroit in 1893. Dow was then became manager of the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Under his leadership, the company, now called Detroit Edison, expanded greatly to become one of the largest electric companies in the nation.

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[[Archives:Papers of Schuyler Skaats Wheeler|Papers of Schuyler Skaats Wheeler]] - Schuyler Skaats Wheeler invented the electric fan when he was 22 and went on to make greater and greater contributions to the field of electrical engineering during the course of his life and career. In 1888 he, along with Francis B. Crocker, formed the firm Crocker &amp; Wheeler, of which Wheeler was president. He was very active in the development of the electric motor and its applications in machine driven tools. He was president of the AIEE from 1905-1906.

[[Archives:Papers of Schuyler Skaats Wheeler|Papers of Schuyler Skaats Wheeler]] - Schuyler Skaats Wheeler invented the electric fan when he was 22 and went on to make greater and greater contributions to the field of electrical engineering during the course of his life and career. In 1888 he, along with Francis B. Crocker, formed the firm Crocker &amp; Wheeler, of which Wheeler was president. He was very active in the development of the electric motor and its applications in machine driven tools. He was president of the AIEE from 1905-1906.

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[[Archives:Papers of William E. Wickenden|Papers of William E. Wickenden]] - William Elgin Wickenden spent much of his career as an educator. He taught physics at Mechanics Institute and the University of Wisconsin. He also taught electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and MIT. After brief stints at the Western Electric Company and the American Telegraph and Telephone Company, he again entered academia as the president of Case School of Applied Science. Wickenden was the president of AIEE from 1945-1946.

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[[Archives:Papers of William E. Wickenden|Papers of William E. Wickenden]] - William Elgin Wickenden spent much of his career as an educator. He taught physics at Mechanics Institute and the University of Wisconsin. He also taught electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and MIT. After brief stints at the Western Electric Company and the American Telegraph and Telephone Company, he again entered academia as the president of Case School of Applied Science. Wickenden was the president of AIEE from 1945-1946.

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'''The archives is made possible by donations. If you find these archive resources valuable, please consider supporting the IEEE History Center’s work by making a donation to

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[https://www.ieee.org/organizations/foundation/DonateOnline.html#| IEEE Foundation - History Center Fund]'''. There is a box marked “Designations” with an arrow which allows you to assign your gift to the History Center.

Freitag, Harlow, [[Archives:Electrical Engineering, The Second Century Begins|Electrical Engineering: The Second Century Begins]], (New York: IEEE Press, 1986)

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Friedel, Robert D., [[Archives:Lines and Waves|Lines and Waves: Faraday, Maxwell And 150 Years Of Electromagnetism]], (New York: Center for the History of Electrical Engineering Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 1981).

IEEE Center for the History of Electrical Engineering, [[Archives:Facets: New Perspectivies on the History of Semiconductors|Facets: New Perspectivies on the History of Semiconductors]], ed. Andrew Goldstein &amp; William Aspray (New Brunswick: IEEE Center for the History of Electrical Engineering, 1997)

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IEEE History Center, [[Sources in Electrical History, vol. 1: Archives and Manuscript Collections in U.S. Repositories|Sources in Electrical History, vol. 1: Archives and Manuscript Collections in U.S. Repositories]].

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IEEE History Center, [[Sources in Electrical History 2: Oral History Collections in U.S. Repositories|Sources in Electrical History 2: Oral History Collections in U.S. Repositories]].

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IEEE History Center, [[Sources in Electrical History 3: An International Guide to Corporate Records and Archives of Companies in the Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Industries|Sources in Electrical History 3: An International Guide to Corporate Records and Archives of Companies in the Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Industries]].

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IEEE Press, "[[Archives:Evolution of the IEEE Logo|Evolution of the IEEE Logo]]", in IEEE Student Journal, March 1963, Page 48.

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IEEE Press, [[Archives:A Century of Honors: The First One Hundred Years of Award Winners, Honorary Members, Past Presidents, and Fellows of the Institute|A Century of Honors: The First One Hundred Years of Award Winners]], Honorary Members, Past Presidents, and Fellows of the Institute, (New York: The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, 1984)

IEEE-Rutgers Center for the History of Electrical Engineering, [[Archives:Tracking the History of Radar|Tracking the History of Radar]], eds. Oskar Blumtritt, Hartmut Petzold and William Aspray (Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical Engineers, 1994)

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Mair, Alex, "[[Archives:Fred Heath and the Invention that Changed the World|Fred Heath and the Invention that Changed the World]]", University of Alberta Engineer, November 2003.

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McMahon, A. Michal, [[Archives:The Making of a Profession: A Century of Electrical Engineering in America|The Making of a Profession: A Century of Electrical Engineering in America]], (New York: IEEE Press, 1984)

[[Archives:Careers for Electrical Engineers and Computer Engineers and Scientists|Careers for Electrical Engineers and Computer Engineers and Scientists]] - Part of Sloan Career Cornerstone Series, a general informational video geared towards students interested in a career in engineering

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[[Archives:EMC Founders War Stories|EMC: Founders War Stories]] - A special session from the 50th Anniversary IEEE EMC conference in 2007, where several founding members of the society gave their recollections of the early days.

[[Archives:History and Overview of the Internet|History and Overview of the Internet]] - Lecture presented by [[Robert Kahn|Robert Kahn]] on 10/19/1999 regarding the internet's history

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[[Archives:History of FFT with Cooley and Tukey|History of FFT with Cooley and Tukey]] - History of the FFT with [[Oral-History:James W. Cooley|James Cooley]] and [[John Tukey|John Tukey]] presented at Plenary Session Presentation, 1992 International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP '92), San Francisco, 25 March 1992.

[[Archives:IEEE: More than the Sum|More than the Sum]] - Promotional video for IEEE

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[[Archives:On the Shoulders of Giants|On the Shoulders of Giants]] - Promotional commercial for IEEE

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[[Archives:Professional Development - Where Do You Stand?|Professional Development - Where Do You Stand?]] - 2000 video regarding continuing education.

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[[Archives:Professional Vitality through Life-Long Learning|Professional Vitality through Life-Long Learning]] - Presentation by [[Kenneth Laker|Ken Laker]] on the relationship between the profession and education.

Intended to be a series of documentaries, The Computer Pioneers, produced by Richard Solomon in the early 1980s, is a collection of several raw interviews with many prominent development teams who worked on some of the world's first computers.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: The Development of the IBM 701|The Development of the IBM 701]] - This segment of the series discusses the development of the IBM 701 model computer, also known as the Defense Calculator, in the early 1950s. These interviews were conducted on July 12th, 1983 and feature several members of the IBM 701's development team including Jerrier Haddad, Clarence Frizzell, Nathan Rochester, and Richard Whalen.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: Electronic Developments During World War II|Electronic Developments During World War II]] - Originally intended to be part of a larger project about early developments in computing, these interviews and group discussions include commentary on many of the electronic developments during the World War II era which lead to advancements in computing. Participants in these discussions include Kenneth Bowles, Jay Stratton, Albert Hill, Perry Crawford, and Gordon Brown. Recorded May 12th, 1983.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: ENIAC|ENIAC]] - The footage in this segment details the development of [[ENIAC|ENIAC]] at the University of Pennsylvania's Ballistic Research Laboratory.&nbsp; Participants include [[Kathleen McNulty|Kay Mauchly]], Herman Goldstine, Dave Mackey, Richard Clippinger, and [[John G. Brainerd|John Grist Brainerd]].

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: An Experiment in Video Oral History Part One: Origins of Electronic Computation During World War II|An Experiment in Video Oral History Part One: Origins of Electronic Computation During World War II]] - Intended to be a documentary series, "The Computer Pioneers: An Experiment in Video Oral History Part One: Origins of Electronic Computation During World War II" was the only segment in the "Computer Pioneers" series which was edited and produced. Included here is this as well as the raw interview footage of Brian Randell and Michael Woodger and an introduction by Richard Solomon from which the production was created from.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: Garry J. Tee Discusses Charles Babbage|Garry J. Tee Discusses Charles Babbage]] - Garry J. Tee, a former professor of mathematics at Auckland University who taught classes on the history of computers, discusses Charles Babbage and several of Babbage's ideas and inventions.

[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: Switched Output: Time-sharing at MIT|Switched Output: Time-sharing at MIT]] - Switched Output is an oral history project produced by Richard Jay Solomon. This segment of the unfinished documentary chronicles the development of time-sharing operating systems at MIT in the 1960s. The discussion was taped on May 14th and 15th in 1983 and includes participants Fernando Corbato, Philip Morse, John McCarthy, Robert Fano, Herbert Teager, and Edward Fredkin.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: The TX-0|The TX-0]] - The TX-0 computer was built in 1955 and made operational in 1956. It was, in essence, a transistorized version of MITs Whirlwind computer, although it was much smaller and slightly faster than the Whirlwind. This footage was shot on November 13, 1983, none of the participants are identified in the video.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: Weizmann Institute Video Oral History|Weizmann Institute]] - A video oral history project produced by Richard Jay Solomon, which chronicles the building of the Weizac and Golem computers at the Weizmann Institute. Spanning six DVDs, these interviews are unedited and were conducted over April 22nd - April 27th, 1983 at the Weizmann Institute, Rehoveth, Israel.

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[[Archives:The Computer Pioneers: The Whirlwind Computer|The Whirlwind Computer]] - The United States Navy approached MIT about building a computer to power a flight simulator to train pilots during World War II. This computer, which would come to be known as the Whirlwind computer, was completed and put online in 1951. The Navy lost interest with it after a few years, but the United States Air Force was intrigued by the Whirlwind's capability to aid in ground controlled interception of aircraft and took over the project in the mid-1950s. This series of videos contains discussions by several key members of the Whirlwind development team including Jay Forrester, Perry Crawford, James Killian, Norman H. Taylor, Charles Adams, Dean Arden, J.T. Gilmore, Hal Laning, Robert Everett, and Robert Taylor.

Revision as of 20:16, 8 August 2013

Contents

IEEE Archives

The IEEE Archives is a relatively small (approximately 15 cubic meters) collection of documents and other archival material that documents the history of IEEE and its predecessor organizations AIEE and IRE.

The IEEE History Center was established in 1980 as the IEEE Center for the History of Electrical Engineering as part of the preparation for the IEEE’s 1984 Centennial. One of its first tasks was to identify and gather institutional records of the IEEE and its predecessors AIEE and IRE. These documents, photos and artifacts, plus material generated during the centennial itself form the core of the IEEE Archives collection. And since that time, the focus of the IEEE Archives has continued to be collecting IEEE’s institutional records, especially the records of the overall IEEE. There is a secondary focus on items useful for other History Center activities and projects. This has led the History Center to build a collection of photographs and a small collection of artifacts. Center Staff use this material especially in our teaching and exhibits.

Since 2009, Center staff have been reinvigorating the archives. 2009's IEEE 125th anniversary celebrations brought additional interest in IEEE’s own history. And staff had to learn more about what we had before we could begin to post relevant material here on the GHN.

In 2009, with the assistance of a grant from the IEEE Foundation, the Center replaced its obsolete early-1990s vintage database with a modern one that allows us to better catalog and locate archival material. This grant also provided for six months service of a project archivist to check, clean up and improve the records in the new database catalog.

There are photos of early IRE banquets. And there are many old-style handwritten ledgers, both for accounting and membership maintenance. While perhaps less exciting to read, they show how Institute business was conducted before computers.

There is also a special “merger collection,” boxes of memoranda, meeting notes, correspondence, and related material documenting the process by which AIEE and IRE joined to form IEEE. While not officially part of the merger collection, there is also a wonderful home movie, made in 1963 by long time AIEE and IEEE Chief Accountant Thomas Bartlett, that gives a tour of the Brokaw Mansion, and the IEEE staff working there. This converted Manhattan mansion served as IRE headquarters from 1946, and housed some IEEE departments in 1963-64.

The collection of material from IEEE’s Centennial includes planning records, programs, stills and videos from the several centennial celebrations, copies of the IEEE’s centennial medal, and a collection of gifts given by peer societies, government officials, and others to IEEE in honor of its centennial.

The archives also holds the original master tape recordings for the over 500 oral histories that IEEE has done since the late 1960s with prominent individuals in our fields. Since magnetic media are not as durable as paper, the Center has now made digital copies for preservation of all of these tapes. In addition, we have used excerpts from the tapes to illustrate the transcripts of these oral histories posted on the GHN. We also have videos and documents covering IEEE’s annual honors ceremonies.

The History Center has also made an effort in the last two years to add to the IEEE Archives material that documents more recent IEEE history. Among such acquisitions are runs of IEEE’s newspaper The Institute, and several of the millennium medals IEEE issued to distinguished members in 2000.

Because of space and resource limitations, the IEEE Archives seeks only records of the overall IEEE; not records of the many IEEE organizational units. Center Staff instead help organizational units find ways to preserve their own historical records, by among other things, encouraging their posting such material on the GHN. Similarly, the IEEE Archives cannot accept the professional records of IEEE Members, though we try to help members find suitable repositories elsewhere.

We do welcome occasional donations of artifacts than we can use in our programs but please ask before sending anything. Among the artifacts that we have accepted from members are a 1940s Weston multi-meter, a small collection of vintage vacuum tubes, and a 1959 solar radio.

The Archives is located at the IEEE Operations Center in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The following is a list of documents or groups of documents from the IEEE Archives that have been scanned and made available on the GHN. Of particular note are a series of files of the AIEE records of prominent early members, and a collection of material documenting the process by which AIEE and IRE merged in 1963 to form IEEE.

The Archives is made possible by donations. If you find these archival resources valuable, please consider supporting the IEEE History Center’s work by making a donation to IEEE Foundation - History Center Fund. There is a box marked “Designations” with an arrow which allows you to assign your gift to the History Center.

AIEE Documents

AIEE Annual Dinner Program/Menu, 1902 - The menu and program from the AIEE Annual Dinner held in honor of Guglielmo Marconi on January 13, 1902 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Other speakers included Charles Proteus Steinmetz, Elihu Thomson, and Michael I. Pupin.

AIEE BOD Annual Reports, 1921-1962 - These reports from the Board of Directors summarize AIEE’s activities during the year. Topics include meeting and convention summaries, activities of various AIEE committees, membership information, and budgetary information, among others.

AIEE Yearbooks 1953-1961 These give general AIEE information along with a complete directory of AIEE Members, including addresses and employers.

AIEE History File, 1908-1935 - This collection includes a paper presented at the 30th Annual AIEE convention, the business proceedings of AIEE from the year 1887, a paper on the history of engineering unions, and a letter from President Woodrow Wilson to John J. Carty, the president of AIEE in 1916.

AIEE Pamphlets - A collection of pamphlets issued by AIEE. Topics include the accomplishments of AIEE in the engineering world from 1943 and facts about electrical engineering as a career from 1949.

AIEE Student EE Digest - The AIEE Student EE Digest was a publication that covered various stories in the electrical engineering world. This particular volume was the first ever edition and was published in 1959.

Misc. IRE Correspondence - This collection contains two letters written to representatives of the United States military requesting permission to release information to the public.

RCA Laboratories Booklet - This booklet discusses the history and future of radio, both in New Jersey and the world. It was issued to accompany the opening of the RCA facility in Princeton, New Jersey in 1941.

Merger Documents

IEEE Merger Collection - This collection contains documents pertaining to the merger between the IRE and AIEE to form IEEE. The collection includes several kinds of documents such as letters, meeting minutes, memos, news articles, and executive communications, among others.

IEEE Documents

IEEE/AIEE Tech Committee Reports - This report produced by IEEE’s Tech Committee was published in 1963 and documents the proceedings of two sessions on online data processing applications.

Misc. Documents

Baird Televisor Documents - Designed by John Logie Baird, the Baird Televisor is credited as being the world’s first publicly demonstrated television. This collection of documents includes advertisements, news stories, and brochures concerning the Baird Televisor.

Dubilier Condenser Materials - Dubilier Condenser Company was formed in 1909 and eventually merged with Cornell Radio to form Cornell-Dubilier Electric in 1933. This collection contains brochures, papers, catalogs, and a variety of other materials produced by the company.

Edison Electric Light Sign/Ad - This sign instructs the user on the proper operation of electric lighting while informing them about the health safety of it as well.

KDKA Letter, 1921 - This letter is a request that listeners of radio programming in East Pittsburgh contact the Publicity Department of KDKA.

Misc. Radio Memorabilia - The artifacts in this collection represent various aspects of the history of radio communication, including a license from the Commonwealth of Australia, instructions for operating radio instruments, and broadcasting information for KYW radio station in Chicago.

Prominent Members

Papers of Edward D. Adams - Edward D. Adams was involved in a number of large engineering works as an officer or director of corporations involved in the construction and operation of rail roads, power plants, water works, cables and telegraphs, and machinery.

Papers of William Arnold Anthony - William Arnold Anthony his career as a teacher, during which time he helped to develop a course of study in electrical engineering at Cornell University. He served as president of AIEE from 1890-1891.

Papers of Bion J. Arnold - Bion J. Arnold designed and built the Intramural Elevated Railway, the first commercial installation of the third rail on a large scale, in Chicago. He was also responsible for the construction of street railways in Milwaukee and involved in electrifying the Grand Central terminal and developing the subway system of New York City.

Papers of Alexander Graham Bell - Alexander Graham Bell, in conjunction with Thomas Watson, is widely known as the father of the telephone. He proved that undulating current carried sound in 1875 and his patent for the telephone was approved a year later in 1876.

Papers of A. W. Berresford - Arthur W. Berresford contributed to the field of electric motor control, where he was in charge of designing and testing all materials shipped by the Ward-Leonard Electric Company. He later formed his own company, Iron Clad Resistance Company, which was subsequently sold to the Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co., where he was made superintendent of the engineering department. Berresford served as president of AIEE from 1920 to 1921.

Papers of Charles E. L. Brown - Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown was active in the field of electricity and railroads. He helped develop several technologies, including direct-current railway generators, electric traction motors, transformers and alternators.

Papers of Charles F. Brush - Brush is known mainly for his work in creating a commercially viable arc light system for use on city streets. His arc lights, powered by a dynamo he also designed, lit the streets of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Montreal, Buffalo, and San Francisco, among others.

Papers of E. A. Budde - Emil A. Budde held a variety of positions during his life. He assistant professor of math and physics at the University of Bonn, a war correspondent during the Franco-German War, a physicist and later director of the Siemans and Halske company, and the official delegate for Germany at the International Electrical Congress in Chicago in 1893.

Papers of John Joseph Carty - John Joseph Carty was heavily involved in developing advances in early telephone technology. He installed the first multiple switchboard in Boston and an engineering advance he pioneered cut the cost of cable production in half. In 1908, Carty also announced plans to construct a transcontinental telephone line by 1915, even though such technology did not exist at the time. Nevertheless, the line was completed in time as Alexander Graham Bell, in New York, spoke to Thomas Watson in San Francisco over the phone on January 25, 1915.

Papers of Chas. L. Clarke - Charles L. Clarke worked directly with Thomas Edison, who appointed him the chief engineer of the Edison Electric Light Company. He was in charge of all the mechanical engineering work involved with constructing and operating the Edison Company’s Pearl Street Station, the first generating plant for incandescent lamp current in the world.

Papers of Frank Conrad - Frank Conrad began broadcasting records through his amateur radio equipment in 1919. The success of his broadcasts influenced Westinghouse to create KDKA, the world’s first broadcast radio station. Though known primarily for his work in radio, Conrad received more than 200 patents in a wide range of mechanical and electrical areas.

Papers of Francis B. Crocker - Francis Bacon Crocker was an electrical engineer who contributed to the profession in a number of areas. He was most well-known for his work in the design of electric motors and in standardization of electrical equipment. He also aided in the development of the first helicopter in this country that was able to fly.

Papers of Alex Dow - Alex Dow designed and supervised the installation of an arc lighting system for Chicago’s South Park, as well as designing and supervising the construction of a city-owned power plant in Detroit in 1893. Dow was then became manager of the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Under his leadership, the company, now called Detroit Edison, expanded greatly to become one of the largest electric companies in the nation.

Papers of Louis Duncan - Louis Duncan was at various times a noted professor, an electrical engineer, and a consultant on electrical matters. Some of his more notable contributions include consulting for the Cincinnati Traction Company, the Indianapolis Traction Company, and many other railroad companies of the Midwest. Duncan also served as the president of AIEE for two terms, from 1895-1897.

Papers of Gano Dunn - Gano Dunn received the first degree in electrical engineering awarded in the United States from Columbia University. He was the vice president and chief engineer of the Crocker-Wheeler Company and also served as the vice president in charge of engineering and construction and eventually president of the J. G. White Engineering Corporation, which became one of the most prominent construction firms in the world under his leadership.

Papers of Thomas Edison - The legacy of Thomas Edison is perhaps larger than any other single figure in the field of electrical engineering. Edison essentially created three new industries through his work. The recording industry was spurred on by his invention of the phonograph and the motion picture industry was formed based on his work in the area. Most importantly, Edison invented a complete system of electric light and power, which marked the beginning of the age of electricity.

Papers of L. Emanueli - Luigi Emanueli developed several different kinds of both rubber and paper insulated cables for use in the power, telephone and submarine telegraph industries. He also developed a method for grading cable insulation and invented an instrument to measure porosity. He also conducted original research in the area of fluid dynamics.

Papers of W.L.R. Emmet - William Le Roy Emmet had a career spanning over fifty years. During this time, he made significant contributions in many fields, including railroads, ac power systems, and electric propulsion systems for naval vessels for the United States Navy.

Papers of G. Faccioli - Giuseppe Faccioli contributed to the development and standardization of high voltage oil-filled bushings, capacitors, lightning arresters, and high voltage transformers. He worked for many companies during his career, including the Rapid Transit Company, the Crocker-Wheeler Company, and GE. He served as the vice president for AIEE from 1922-1924.

Papers of Louis A. Ferguson - Louis Aloysius Ferguson began his career at the Chicago Edison Company. He held several positions of varying authority during his career, eventually becoming vice president of Commonwealth Edison Company. Ferguson also served as AIEE president from 1908-1909.

Papers of Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti - Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti designed a plant to supply London with power from a plant outside the city. The plant went online in 1891. Ferranti subsequently was involved in many other early power plants. He was also involved in the radio industry, where he improve audio frequency transformers.

Papers of Cyrus Field - Cyrus Field’s most notable accomplishment was the laying of a transatlantic telegraph cable from the United States to England in 1966, the pursuit of which took over 12 years and required Field to invest a large part of his own funds in the venture.

Papers of A.P.M. Fleming - Sir Arthur P. M. Fleming greatly aided in the development of radar by perfecting methods to manufacture high voltage vacuum equipment and thermionic valves.

Papers of Ferdinand Foch - Foch was a soldier in the army of France. He served as a General in the French army during World War I and was named Marshal of France in 1918. In the Spring of 1918, Foch was also named the supreme commander of the Allied forces, a position he retained until accepting the German’s request for armistice on November 11, 1918. He was made an honorary member of the AIEE on March 20, 1929.

Papers of Bancroft Gherardi - Bancroft Gherardi furthered the field of telephone communication in many ways. His early work focused on cable development and its use in urban environments where it became necessary to utilize underground wires as the size of networks grew and above ground wires became impractical. He also played a part in the implementation of both the trans-continental telephone service in 1915 as well as the trans-Atlantic radio telephone service in 1927.

Papers of Norvin Green - Norvin Green was one of the founding members of AIEE and served as its first president from 1884-1885. Prior to this, most of his career was spent working on telegraphs and telegraphic technology for several companies, including Western Union, of which he was the president.

Papers of George Hamilton - George Hamilton was a charter member of AIEE and served as its first vice president. His major achievements came in the study of telegraphy, where he invented the first quadruplex telegraph circuit alongside Garritt Smith.

Papers of William Joseph Hammer - William Joseph Hammer worked with Thomas Edison in his workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey. In 1882, he implemented the first central station for incandescent lighting in the world in London. He also assisted with the incandescent electric lamp and invented the first flashing electric lamp sign.

Papers of W.H. Harrison - William H. Harrison performed duties related to telephone apparatus inspection, assembling and wiring for the New York Telephone Company. He also participated in telephone circuit design with the Western Electric Company. W. H. Harrison served as the president of AIEE from 1937-1938.

Papers of Rowland R. Hazard - Rowland Robinson Hazard was a founding member of AIEE and also served as its first treasurer. He also served as president of the Gramme Electric Company during his career.

Papers of Oliver Heaviside - Oliver Heaviside’s application of Maxwell’s Theory of Electromagnetics to the field of telephone and telegraph communications lead to several advancements in the field, including making long distance telephone calls possible. He also contributed to other disciplines, and is perhaps most well-known for theorizing the existence of the ionosphere, sometimes called the Heaviside-Kennelly Layer.

Papers of Rudolph E. Hellmund - Rudolph E. Hellmund was a creative genius with over 300 patents to his name. He has worked on induction motors, a/c and d/c power motors, and also worked on air conditioning equipment in the latter stages of his career.

Papers of Carl Hering - Carl Hering was a pioneering figure in the design and construction of electrical apparatus, including the invention of an electrical furnace that became widely used. He was also heavily involved in research, contributing many articles to the electrochemical and electrophysical fields. Hering served as AIEE president from 1900-1901.

Papers of J.E. Housley - J. Elmer Housley was involved in solving issues in interconnected power systems in the areas of operation, load and frequency control, telemetering, and carrier current relaying and communications. He also contributed papers discussing problems in covered lighting, oil maintenance, and mercury-arc rectifier installation and maintenance. Housley was the president of AIEE from 1946-1947.

Papers of Edwin J. Houston - Edwin J. Houston, along with Elihu Thomson, invented the Thomson-Houston System of arc lighting. He also published a great amount of literature in the field of electrical engineering. Houston was a founding member of the AIEE and served as its president from 1893-1895.

Papers of B.D. Hull - Blake D. Hull was an active participant in the expansion of the telephone industry. He acted as the chief engineer of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Hull was also the president of the AIEE from 1947-1948.

Papers of F.L. Hutchinson - Frederick Lane Hutchinson was employed by Westinghouse and spent several years in the manufacturing, testing, engineering and sales departments before being transferred to the publications department, where he was responsible for preparing technical literature for the company. He was later appointed the secretary of the AIEE in 1912.

Papers of Joseph Allen Johnson - Johnson worked as an engineer for the Niagra Falls Power company in its various incarnations for many years and has also contributed many papers to the profession on topics related to the field of electricity and electrical energy delivery. Joseph Allen Johnson was the president of the AIEE from 1934-1935.

Papers of Nathaniel S. Keith - Nathaniel S. Keith was involved in the manufacture and installation of the electric light and power system of San Francisco in 1885. He was a founding member of the AIEE and served as its first secretary, serving in this capacity from 1884-1885.

Papers of Arthur Edwin Kennelly - Arthur Edwin Kennelly formed his own consulting firm with fellow engineer Edwin J. Houston. This firm was hired by the Mexican government to oversee the laying of the Veracruz-Frontera-Campeche cables. He also, at the same time as Heaviside, though independently, theorized on the existence of the ionosphere, sometimes called the Kennelly-Heaviside Layer.

Papers of Lord Kelvin - Lord Kelvin, whose real name was William Thomson, is the man after whom the Kelvin Scale of temperature is named. He contributed to the mathematical analysis of electricity and the formulation of the first and second Laws of Thermodynamics. He was knighted for his work on the transatlantic telegraph project, although his most well-known contribution may be his work on developing the basis of absolute zero.

Papers of B.G. Lamme - Benjamin Garver Lamme was the chief engineer at Westinghouse who built the generators at Niagra Falls and also in charge of building motors designed by Nikola Tesla. He was also involved in the building of power plant for the Manhattan Elevated Railway in New York City.

Papers of W.S. Lee - William States Lee was most well-known for designing many powerplants, primarily in the southern United States. Most notably, Lee designed the Duke Power Company system, the Duke-Price Power Company’s Isle Maligne Station, and the Beauhmois Plant near Montreal. W.S. Lee served as president of the AIEE from 1930-1931.

Papers of J.W. Lieb Jr. - John William Lieb worked directly with Edison and was put in charge of the Pearl Street Station upon its opening. He later moved to Italy where he supervised the installation of many electrical firsts in Milan, including the installation of the Edison Milan Station and the city’s first electric trolley system. Lieb served as president of the AIEE from 1904-1905.

Papers of Alexander M. MacCutcheon - worked for the Crocker-Wheeler company where he was in charge of engineering estimates and the drafting room. He also spent some time working on designing alternators for the company. He would later be placed in charge of all new design work for the Reliance Electric and Engineering company. MacCutcheon served as president of the AIEE from 1936-1937.

Papers of C.O. Mailloux - Cyprien O’Dillon Mailloux was prolific in his contributions to the electrical engineering profession. Over the course of a 25 year career, he was involved in more than 800 projects, had created over 100 inventions (of which 30 received patents), and had published dozens of papers. Mailloux was president of the AIEE from 1913-1914.

Papers of Guglielmo Marconi - Guglielmo Marconi is widely regarded as one of the true pioneers of radio technology. His most well-known accomplishment is being the first man to transmit a radio signal across the Atlantic Ocean from England to the United States. At one time, his companies held a near global monopoly on the radio communications business.

Papers of T.C. Martin - T. Commerford Martin was highly involved in the activities of the AIEE. He held every elective office aside from treasurer. He was president of the AIEE from 1887-1888.

Papers of Fred Orville McMillan - Fred Orville McMillan spent a relatively brief eight year period with General Electric before entering the world of academia as a professor and researcher. His main areas of research were high-voltage phenomena including the grounded sphere gap polarity effect and radio interference from high-voltage lines and equipment. He was president of the AIEE from 1951-1952.

Papers of George Metcalfe - George Metcalfe was experienced in all kinds of lab, design and construction work. He designed many pieces of equipment used in railroad applications, including controlling switches and apparatus and street railway motors.

Papers of Edward B. Meyer - Edward Meyer was highly involved in the politics of many engineering and engineering related boards, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Electric Light Association, and the American Railway Association. He served as president of the AIEE from 1935-1936.

Papers of Farley Osgood - Farley Osgood had a career spanning nearly 40 years, the first 14 of which were spent in the telephone industry while the following 25 were dedicated to engineering in the electric light and power industry. He also served as president of the AIEE from 1924-1925.

Papers of Antonio Pacinotti - was a physicist and a professor at the University of Pisa. His most well-known accomplishment an improved form of the dynamo, a direct current electrical generator.

Papers of John C. Parker - John C. Parker held a wide variety of positions within Edison Electric, eventually rising to vice-president of the Consolidated Edison Company of New York. During this time, he oversaw the reconstruction of the Brooklyn Edison company’s electric system, a task that required the development of a A-e low voltage network distribution system. Parker served as president of the AIEE from 1938-1939.

Papers of George M. Phelps - George May Phelps was an inaugural member of the AIEE and served as its treasurer from 1887-1895. He was also an inventor of automated telegraphy equipment, some of which became dominant equipment for automated transmission and reception of telegraphic messages.

Papers of Sir William Pierce - William Pierce contributed greatly to the field of telegraphy. He held many patents in this field, including a system of duplex telegraphy, railway signaling apparatus, a system of signaling across space by induction telegraph.

Papers of Franklin L. Pope - Franklin Leonard Pope was one of the earliest practicing electrical engineers in the country. He was partners with Edison in the firm of Pope & Edison and participated in the invention of the stock ticker. He also invented the rail circuit for automatic control of the electric-block signal system. Pope served as president of the AIEE from 1886-1887 and was rather ironically killed by electrocution when the power system in his house malfunctioned in 1895.

Papers of Ralph W. Pope - Ralph Wainwright Pope was employed as a telegrapher by many companies during his professional career. He was elected secretary of the AIEE in 1885 and served in that capacity until 1911, when he was named honorary secretary for life.

Papers of Michael I. Pupin - Michael I. Pupin was an academic whose main contributions came in the areas of instruction and theory. His work contributed to the development of long distance telephone communications. He also developed a method of rapid X-Ray photography. His students included such luminaries as Gano Dunn, Robert Millikan, Edwin Armstrong, and Irving Langmuir.

Papers of Donald A. Quarles - Donald A. Quarles held a variety of positions during his long career. He was employed by the Inspection Engineering Department for Western Electric, the precursor to Bell Laboratories, of which he would eventually become vice president. He was also a vice president of Western Electric and eventually rose to the rank of Assistant Secretary of Defense in charge of Research and Development for the United States. Quarles was president of the AIEE from 1952-1953.

Papers of Calvin Windsor Rice - Calvin Windsor Rice was experienced in many facets of electrical engineering, including high voltage phenomena and long-distance electrical transmission. Rice directed many of the experiments performed by General Electric. He also helped to develop a hornless radio speaker.

Papers of E.W. Rice - Edwin W. Rice is known as one of the three fathers of General Electric, assuming the position of technical director upon its inception. He also served GE as vice president in charge of manufacturing, vice president and eventually president. After his retirement, he was named honorary chairman to the board. During his time at GE, he assisted in every form of engineering development.

Papers of H.J. Ryan - Harris J. Ryan introduced the cathode ray tube to America after acquiring them from Ferdinand Braun in Germany. He contributed much research to the development of high voltage insulators. Ryan was the president of AIEE from 1923-1924.

Papers of R.F. Schuchardt - Rudolph Frederick Schuchardt worked for the Chicago Edison company for 34 years. He held various positions during this time, eventually becoming their Chief Electrical Engineer. He was intimately involved in the development of the company. Schuchardt also contributed a wealth of literature to the field and served as the president of the AIEE from 1928-1929.

Papers of Charles F. Scott - Charles F. Scott worked directly with Nikola Tesla in developing the alternating current induction motor as well as participating in the design of an alternating current power installation in Telluride, CO. He also pioneered work in phase transformation and served as AIEE president from 1902-1903. During this time, he initiated innovations such as student branches and technical committees.

Papers of Samuel Sheldon - Samuel Sheldon was a prominent figure in engineering education. He taught at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute for over 30 years from 1889 to 1920. He was also associated with the selection of the ohm as the unit of electrical resistance and served as the president of the AIEE from 1906-1907.

Papers of E.W. Von Siemens - Ernst Werner von Siemens is the founder of the Siemens electrical and telecommunications company and the namesake of the SI unit of electrical conductance. Often thought of as the father of electrical engineering in Germany, von Siemens invented the first electric elevator in 1880 and also invented trolleybus in 1882.

Papers of H.B. Smith - Harold Babbit Smith was primarily an educator and researcher in the field of high voltage. He was head of the department of electrical engineering at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute through a majority of its existance until his retirement in 1931. He was one of the pioneers in the development of high-voltage power transmission systems and equipment. Smith was the president of the AIEE from 1929-1930.

Papers of Elmer Sperry - Elmer Ambrose Sperry was a prolific inventor, having started eight companies and holding over 400 patents over the course of his life. Some of his more notable inventions include the gyrocompass, a high-intensity arc lamp used as a military spotlight, and processes for making pure caustic soda and recovering tin from scrap metal.

Papers of Frank Julian Sprague - was a pioneer in the field of electric motors and electric tractions. He was a prolific inventor, having participated in the development of the electric trolley, constant speed motor, the multiple unit, regenerative and remote control systems, and equipment for elevator operation. Sprague served as president of AIEE from 1892-1893.

Papers of William Stanley - William Stanley was a visionary in the field of electrical engineering. He held patents for ten items related to electric lamps in that burgeoning field before turning his attention to alternating current power development. Stanley developed new transformers and an alternating current power system in Great Barrington.

Papers of Charles Proteus Steinmetz - C.P. Steinmetz devoted much of his life to research. His contributions to mathematics form a part of the foundation upon which many of the developments in electrical engineering were based. Among his more notable achievements were his investigations in magnetism and into the theory of direct and alternating current in regards to lighting. Steinmetz was AIEE president from 1900-1901.

Papers of John Franklin Stevens - John Franklin Stevens was a frequent lecturer on electrical and engineering issues as well as a frequent contributor to publications within those fields.

Papers of L.B. Stillwell - L.B. Stillwell was in charge of the installation of the first hydroelectric generating plant at Niagra falls. He was also a researcher, his main interest being in the conservation of energy, efficient energy use, and the conservation of natural resources. Stillwell was president of the AIEE from 1909-1910.

Papers of Henry G. Stott - Henry Gordon Stott was rare in his ability to master both the theory and practice of electrical and mechanical engineering. The bulk of his career was spent developing and installing subterranean power cable systems, including the power systems supplying subway, elevated and surface lines of New York City. Stott was president of the AIEE from 1907-1908.

Papers of Ambrose Swasey - Ambrose Swasey, along with Worcester R. Warner, formed the Warner and Swasey Company. Swasey was in charge of engineering and machine development of the company, which was known for its army ordinance contracts and its work on astronomical observatories and equipment. In 1885, Swasey built the McCormick Observatory, which was the largest in the world at that time.

Papers of Nikola Tesla - Nikola Tesla is a legendary figure in the fields of electrical and mechanical engineering. His research in electromagnetism and patents in this area form the basis of modern alternating current power systems. His contributions to science also helped in the evolution or establishment of robotics, radar, remote control, computer science, ballistics, nuclear physics and theoretical physics.

Papers of Elihu Thomson - Elihu Thomson was a prolific contributor to the field of electrical engineering. He has approximately 600 patents to his name in the United States alone, including the 3 coil dynamo and electric air drill. He formed half of the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, which would eventually merge with Edison General Electric Company to become General Electric, of which he was elected Chief Engineer. He served as the president of the AIEE from 1889-1890.

Papers of Silvanus P. Thompson - Silvanus P. Thompson was an educator and researcher in the fields of physics and electrical engineering. He was an authority on dynamo-electric machines. He also contributed greatly to the literature of the field and his book Calculus Made Easy is still in print today.

Papers of Philip Torchio - Philip Torchio’s research in improving methods promoting continuity of service and lower cost production and distribution of power spurred great progress in the distribution of electrical energy in New York City. He also contributed much to the performance of high-voltage electrical power cables and the adaptation of large generators in electric power systems.

Papers of Calvert Townley - Calvert Townley was a prominent figure in the railroad and utilities fields. He held various positions in many different companies during that time, including president of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, the Lackawanna Railroad, the Wyoming Valley Railroad, and vice president of the International Radio Telegraph Company. He served the AIEE as president from 1919-1920.

Papers of George Addison Wardlaw - Wardlaw worked as an editor for the AIEE, Electrical Record, the US Army Ordnance Department and the National Bureau of Standards.

Papers of George Westinghouse - George Westinghouse was a renowned inventor and entrepreneur. His company, Westinghouse, was mainly responsible for the spread of alternating current electricity in the United States. He is also noted for his contributions to the railroad and radio industries, having launched KDKA, the first commercial radio station.

Papers of Schuyler Skaats Wheeler - Schuyler Skaats Wheeler invented the electric fan when he was 22 and went on to make greater and greater contributions to the field of electrical engineering during the course of his life and career. In 1888 he, along with Francis B. Crocker, formed the firm Crocker & Wheeler, of which Wheeler was president. He was very active in the development of the electric motor and its applications in machine driven tools. He was president of the AIEE from 1905-1906.

Papers of William E. Wickenden - William Elgin Wickenden spent much of his career as an educator. He taught physics at Mechanics Institute and the University of Wisconsin. He also taught electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and MIT. After brief stints at the Western Electric Company and the American Telegraph and Telephone Company, he again entered academia as the president of Case School of Applied Science. Wickenden was the president of AIEE from 1945-1946.

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